The use of small computers, generally known as personal computers, has proliferated. Personal computers typically use flexible magnetic disks, known as floppy disks, for storage of information. As personal computers spread, the uses for the computers expanded also.
Today, there are available word processing programs, data base management programs and spread sheet programs that sometimes require ten or more floppy disks just for the program. A large mailing list or inventory list can also fill in excess of ten floppy disks. With the many varied programs available, the business owner or home owner of a personal computer can easily be using a hundred or more floppy disks.
Most of the storage units available for floppy disks are essentially rectangular tubs with several moveable internal dividers. These storage units function much like a library card catalog except there is no retaining rod inserted through the floppy disk or disk sleeves to retain the disks in order. To locate a specific floppy disk, the disks are searched or leafed through until the desired disk is found. Since the disks are usually loosely set into the storage unit with several or more disks between the internal dividers, no gap or empty slot remains to show from where the desired disk was removed.
As a result, disks are frequently replaced at any convenient spot in the storage unit thus undoing any logical grouping or ordering of the floppy disks.